The Take Over
by Panthera Uncia
Summary: For the clans, the worst thing that could happen already has. Strange cats from Two-leg Place have been forced into their territory and have founded a new clan as an attempt to live peacefully away from their past. Yet hatred is threatening to tear the whole forest apart, and it is hiding where it is least expected.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**Name: The Take Over…**

**Rated: T (may change later) for mild coarse language, and a lot of violence.**

**Summary: For the clans, the worst thing that could happen already has. Strange cats from Two-leg Place have been forced into their territory and have founded a new clan as an attempt to live peacefully away from their past. Yet hatred is threatening to tear the whole forest apart, and it is hiding where it is least expected.**

**Note: This story and its sequel are named similarly to a song which I do not own and has nothing to do with this story whatsoever. The titles are meant to represent **_**my**_** work and the stories accordingly. This, and it's sequel, are not song fics.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors or "The Takeover, The Break's Over" by Fall Out Boy. **

**Allegiances**

RushClan

Leader: Dewstar-a silver tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Deputy: Adderclaw-a large ruddy tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Medicine Cat: Brightpoppy-a tortoiseshell-tabby she-cat with white paws and chest and green eyes.

Warriors:

Cragstorm-a large brown tabby tom with white paws and green eyes.

Duskwhisker-a cinnamon-brown tom with green eyes. _Apprentice: Sandpaw._

Lilydapple-a silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes. _Apprentice: Coralpaw._

Webnose-a gray tabby tom with large white paws and yellow eyes.

Troutleap-a blue-gray tom with green eyes.

Blazefoot-a ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Fadedcloud-a long-furred white and ginger splotched she-cat with pale blue eyes.

Vinestripe-a large brown tabby tom with green eyes. _Apprentice: Floodpaw._

Greensplash-a pale silver she-cat with bright green eyes.

Wavestrike-a white and blue splotched tom with blue eyes. _Apprentice: Drizzlepaw._

Aspenfall-a golden tabby tom with a white chest, muzzle, tail tip, and paws and blue eyes. _Apprentice: Lightpaw._

Breezesong-a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes.

Emberfang-a dark ginger tom with white paws and yellow eyes.

Swanwing-a longhaired white she-cat with a ginger tail and forehead markings and bright blue eyes. _Apprentice: Frozenpaw._

Herringtooth-black tom with yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Otterpaw._

Fishstripe-dark smoky gray tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Apprentices:

Sandpaw-a cream tabby tom with dark amber eyes.

Coralpaw-a white and ginger tabby splotched she-cat with blue eyes.

Frozenpaw-a white she-cat with pale blue eyes.

Lightpaw-a pale lilac ticked she-cat with copper eyes.

Otterpaw-a dark brown shaded tom with green eyes.

Floodpaw-a long-furred dark gray tabby tom with hazel eyes.

Drizzlepaw-a long-furred black and white tom with light green eyes.

Queens:

Fernfeather-a long-furred white she-cat with green eyes. _Mate: Webnose. Kits: Patchkit (a gray and white patched tom with yellow eyes), Ivykit (a long-furred white she-cat with green eyes)._

Bluewillow-a blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes. _Mate: Wavestrike. Expecting._

Streamflower-a light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes. _Mate: Adderclaw. Kits: Tidekit (gray tabby tom with blue eyes), Sleetkit (gray tabby she-cat with white paws and yellow eyes), Eaglekit (ruddy ginger tom with blue eyes)._

Sorrelpoppy-a black and ginger tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. _Mate: Aspenfall. Expecting._

Elders:

Halfnose-a scarred gray and white patched tom with copper eyes.

Shellwhisker-a brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Maskface-a cream and brown color-point tom with blue eyes.

TallClan

Leader: Graystar-a large blue-gray tom with a white chest and paws and yellow eyes.

Deputy: Ashwhisker-a large silver-gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Medicine Cat: Ryeheart-a white she-cat with blue-gray patches and yellow eyes.

Warriors:

Gingerdawn-a ginger tabby she-cat with a white chest and green eyes. _Apprentice: Pinepaw._

Forestwhisker-a chocolate brown tom with bright green eyes.

Hollowclaw-a smoky black-gray tom with curled fur and amber eyes. _Apprentice: Rowanpaw._

Cedarfall-a long-haired ruddy tom with pale green eyes.

Alderpelt-a brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Blacktalon-a black tom with yellow eyes.

Owlshadow-a long-furred dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Flintfoot-a soot gray tabby tom with blue eyes. _Apprentice: Stripepaw._

Hawknose-a brown tabby and white tom with golden eyes.

Honeygaze-a white she-cat with yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Rosepaw._

Icebreath-a white tom with amber eyes.

Maplecloud-a brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Badgertail-a black tom with a white chest and paws, half a tail, and green eyes.

Jayflight-a blue tom with blue eyes. _Apprentice: Mallowpaw._

Larkshine-a blue and white splotched she-cat with green eyes. _Apprentice: Lightningpaw._

Apprentices:

Pinepaw-a gray tabby tom with a white chest and green eyes.

Stripepaw-a silver tabby tom with a white chest and paws and green-yellow eyes.

Rosepaw-a long-furred ruddy she-cat with a white chest and amber eyes.

Rowanpaw-a golden brown tabby tom with a white chest and yellow eyes.

Mallowpaw-a white and black patched she-cat with green eyes.

Lightningpaw-a sorrel brown ticked tom with a white patched throat and pale yellow eyes.

Queens:

Brindleflower-a tortoiseshell-tabby and white she-cat with green eyes. _Mate: Cedarfall. Expecting._

Windwing-a pale blue and cream tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with light blue eyes. _Mate: Blacktalon. Expecting._

Flowerberry-a white she-cat with red and black tortoiseshell patches and yellow eyes. _Mate: Alderpelt. Kits: Lakekit (a large white tom with yellow eyes), Barkkit (a brown tabby tom with yellow eyes), Poppykit (a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with yellow eyes)._

Mistleaf-a blue color point she-cat with bright blue eyes. _Mate: Hawknose. Expecting._

Applesong-a dark ginger she-cat with two white paws and green eyes. _Mate: Flintfoot. Kits: Bramblekit (a ginger tabby tom with a white chest and green eyes), Birdkit (a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes)._

Elders:

Molefur-a chocolate brown tom with green eyes.

Oatwhisker-a ginger tabby tom with white patches and green eyes.

Pikefang-a black tom with long lower fangs and yellow eyes.

Raggedtail-a large gray tabby tom missing part of his tail with amber eyes.

SnakeClan

Leader: Oakstar-a dark chocolate-colored tabby tom with amber eyes.

Deputy: Scarletfire-a white she-cat with ginger patches and silver-blue eyes.

Medicine Cat: Mossfoot-a long-furred black and white patched tom with yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Amberpaw._

Warriors:

Brackenclaw-a large ginger tabby tom with green eyes.

Toadblaze-a cinnamon tabby and white splotched tom with amber eyes. _Apprentice: Weaselpaw._

Frogspring-a small chocolate brown tom with green eyes.

Weedpool-a small lilac brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Bumblewhisker-a large gray-brown tabby tom with yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Barleypaw._

Mudfoot-a black tom with amber eyes.

Antfur-a dark gray, almost black, spotted tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Birchstorm-a light silver tabby tom with dark stripes and blue eyes. _Apprentice: Silentpaw._

Elmstripe-a pale blue-gray tabby tom with pale yellow eyes.

Hollycloud-a black she-cat with pale blue eyes.

Fallowheart-a fawn tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws and orange eyes.

Venomshadow-a dark tortoiseshell-tabby she-cat with dark copper eyes. _Apprentice: Sloepaw._

Leopardfang-a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with light golden eyes.

Cinderstreak-a gray tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws and amber eyes.

Thornstrike-a long-furred gray and white patched tom with bright yellow eyes.

Brooksplash-a blue tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Apprentices:

Silentpaw-a dark blue-gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Weaselpaw-a skinny brown tabby tom with copper eyes.

Amberpaw-a ginger and white tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.

Barleypaw-a long-furred black and white patched tom with amber eyes.

Sloepaw-a black and white patched tom with golden eyes.

Queens:

Frostflight-a blue tabby she-cat with a white chest and blue eyes. _Mate: Brackenclaw. Expecting._

Whiteleaf-a white she-cat with light green eyes. _Mate: Elmstripe. Expecting._

Yellowflower-a white she-cat with ginger forehead markings and tail and green eyes._ Mate: Birchstorm. Kits: Berrykit (a white and ginger she-cat with green eyes)._

Tawnyberry-a lilac brown tabby she-cat with light blue eyes. _Mate: Thornstrike. Expecting._

Elders:

Tornpelt-a ragged pale blue-gray tom with yellow eyes.

Tangletail-a tortoiseshell she-cat with a broken tail and green eyes.

Shredclaw-a black and white patched tom with golden eyes.

Snowbelly-a white she-cat with ginger patches and blue eyes.

WildClan

Leader: Spiderstar-a light brown tabby tom with white chest and paws and amber eyes.

Deputy: Nettlepool-a gray tabby she-cat with white paws and chest and yellow eyes.

Medicine Cat: Fennelgaze-a light brown tabby she-cat with white chest, paws, and underbelly and green eyes. _Apprentice: Cherrypaw._

Warriors:

Marshstorm-a muscular black tom with copper eyes.

Blizzardfur-a white tom with gray forehead markings and tail and yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Gracklepaw._

Hailshadow-a large black and white splotched tom with yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Lizardpaw._

Hareclaw-a brown tabby tom with white paws and green eyes. _Apprentice: Wasppaw._

Beetlewhisker-a ginger and white splotched tom with blue eyes.

Shadefire-a black tom with a white blaze on his forehead and orange eyes. _Apprentice: Clawpaw._

Splashstep-a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes.

Mothcloud-a pale cream tabby she-cat with thick dark stripes, white paws and chest, and amber eyes.

Narrowtooth-a lilac tabby tom with a white chest and paws and orange eyes. _Apprentice: Scorchpaw._

Finchflight-a cinnamon brown tabby tom with white paws and yellow eyes.

Kinktail-a pale golden-red tabby she-cat with a white chest, paws, and underbelly, and green eyes. _Apprentice: Foxpaw._

Grassdapple-an orange and black tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Mintpool-a silver tabby she-cat with green eyes.

Fleetfeather-a white she-cat with ginger patches and blue eyes.

Ferretstripe-a long-haired chocolate smoke tom with amber eyes.

Featherleap-a long-haired silvery-white she-cat with blue eyes.

Sedgeheart-a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with yellow eyes.

Apprentices:

Scorchpaw-a dark ginger tabby tom with a white forehead blaze and blue eyes.

Cherrypaw-a tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes.

Clawpaw-a chocolate brown tom with yellow eyes.

Wasppaw-a golden-orange tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Foxpaw-a tortoiseshell she-cat with a white tipped tail and amber eyes.

Gracklepaw-a black tom with a white chest and yellow eyes.

Lizardpaw-a white and gray patched tom with yellow eyes.

Queens:

Heatherleaf-a light blue tabby she-cat with blue eyes. _Mate: Hailshadow. Kits: Kitekit (a blue tabby she-cat with yellow eyes), Mossykit (a black and white patched tom with yellow eyes)._

Reedflower-a gray tabby she-cat with a white tail tip and amber eyes. _Mate: Shadefire. Kits: Coalkit (a black she-cat with amber eyes), Dustkit (a gray she-cat with a white tail tip and orange eyes), Icekit (a gray and white patched she-cat with amber eyes)._

Skyberry-a black and white splotched she-cat with green eyes. _Mate: Narrowtooth. Expecting._

Elders:

Sneezewhisker-a brown tabby tom with a white chest and amber eyes.

Gooseflight-a lavender brown tabby tom with orange eyes.

Duckwing-a lilac ticked tabby she-cat with a white chest and copper eyes.

NightClan

Leader: Willowstar-a lithe black she-cat with silvery-green eyes.

Deputy: Gorsetalon-a long-furred smoke black tom with a white chest and yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Rushpaw._

Medicine Cat: Rainflight-a blue-gray tom with green eyes.

Warriors:

Bouncefoot-a dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes. _Apprentice: Marblepaw._

Ivorybreeze-a white she-cat with green eyes. _Apprentice: Rubypaw._

Jetstorm-a black tom with large white paws and yellow eyes. _Apprentice: Stonepaw._

Sirenfeather-a white she-cat with tortoiseshell patches and blue eyes.

Emeraldeyes-a blue tabby tom with bright green eyes.

Sprucewhisker-a long-furred black and white tom with green eyes. _Apprentice: Palepaw._

Morningcloud-a white and cinnamon patched she-cat with yellow eyes.

Hazelnose-a cinnamon tabby tom with a white chest and yellow eyes.

Smallclaw-a small chocolate brown tom with amber eyes.

Crowshadow-a long-furred black tom with copper eyes.

Furzeleaf-a gray tabby she-cat with a white chest and yellow eyes.

Goldenflame-a white and ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes.

Pebblesplash-a pale gray-blue tabby she-cat with a white chest and green eyes. _Apprentice: Twistpaw._

Puddlestep-a white and chocolate patched tom with amber eyes.

Tigerblaze-a bright ginger tabby tom with a white chest and green eyes.

Cloverdapple-a silvery white she-cat with bright green eyes. _Apprentice: Sootpaw._

Apprentices:

Marblepaw-a black and white she-cat with pale green eyes.

Palepaw-a pale cream tabby tom with dark amber eyes.

Twistpaw-a blue tabby tom with a white chest, a twisted paw and yellow eyes.

Rushpaw-a gray tabby tom with white paws and green-yellow eyes.

Rubypaw-a tortoiseshell and white tabby she-cat with orange eyes.

Stonepaw-a blue-gray tom with large paws and golden eyes.

Sootpaw-a black she-cat with golden eyes.

Queens:

Irisflower-a white she-cat with ginger patches and green eyes. _Mate: Bouncefoot. Kits: Lionkit (a pale golden-orange tabby tom with green eyes), Pantherkit (a white and ginger she-cat with amber eyes), Badgerkit (a ginger tabby and white patched tom with green eyes), Wolfkit (a white she-cat with green eyes)._

Ebonypool-a black she-cat with green eyes. _Mate: Emeraldeyes. Kits: Runningkit (a blue tabby she-cat with a white chest and green eyes), Specklekit (a blue spotted tabby she-cat with green eyes), Smokekit (a black tom with green eyes)._

Petalfall-a brown tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes. _Mate: Smallclaw. Expecting._

Robinleap-a tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. _Mate: Hazelnose. Expecting._

Elders:

Bearheart-a large, very old, chocolate brown tabby tom with bright green eyes.

Echoflower-a silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.

Batflight-a black smoke tom with green eyes.

**Prologue**

~Around 18 moons ago~

Gorsepaw squeezed his way into the soft sunlit clearing of the elder's den. The stone of the cavern gave way to dry, crumbly dirt and withered moss. A pale golden light seeped in from a gaping hole in the top of the den. He dropped two small mice next to a huge brown tabby tom.

"Talk," the apprentice demanded.

The tom glared at him with piercing green eyes, "You really should learn to respect your elders Gorsepaw. You don't get anywhere with foolish demanding."

Gorsepaw took a deep breath and tried to forget his pride, though his smoky black hackles bristled with eagerness, "Sorry Bearheart. Please tell me the story. You promised you would once I was done with my apprentice duties and brought you food."

Bearheart picked up a mouse and sucked it into his maws whole. It crunched through his teeth as he ground the bones to pieces and spit them out.

"I suppose I did promise," the old tom grunted after he had finished one mouse, "I don't understand why all of you irritating apprentices want to hear about something so dark and hellish."

Gorsepaw was silent for a while, thinking it over. He wasn't really sure why he wanted to hear it. The other apprentices had said it was a cool story and it was all about NightClan's history.

"I just want to hear it," was all Gorsepaw could think to reply, "Besides, you tell good stories."

Bearheart gave a deep, throaty purr and began.

"Moons ago NightClan was nothing but a bunch of rogues living in the alleys of Two-leg Place. There we lived under a chief, a big tom cat named Capone, and his cronies. When he first appeared he made himself a base and sent some of his cats out to every corner of the city to gather everyone there to meet him. The cat of his who found me and my family was a bossy tabby tom; thought he already owned us and our territory. We were informed that anyone who didn't attend would stand alone in the city, but if we went there we would be a part of something great, and we would be protected.

"We really didn't have a choice. We didn't know who Capone was or what he could do. My mate was with kits and it was obvious that if we didn't stand by this strange cat that we all would die. So the tabby led me and my mate deep into the heart of Two-leg Place. When we arrived, there were already many cats gathered. Capone's base was an abandoned Two-leg tower; it reeked of rats and garbage. It made me feel uneasy, but I stayed anyway.

"It wasn't until the next night that Capone made his big appearance. He certainly was something to look at; a huge jet black tom with a white patch on his chest. He greeted everyone with a crooked smile."

"Then what?" Gorsepaw interrupted. His yellow eyes were large with admiration. Bearheart shot him a silencing look.

"He started talking. He asked us if we were 'sick of living in ranks', if we couldn't stand how 'most cats have nothing to eat while the current rulers of the city are fat and dictate with an iron claw'. Of course everyone was in agreement. Some of us were so skinny we looked to be on the verge of death. Capone said that all of that was wrong, that every cat was equal, and that he could help us get the happy life we deserved.

"There really wasn't anyone against it except the rulers, but they had bred hatred in the hearts of many…they were slaughtered one night. I heard it was a group of angry city cats trying to take over, but Capone claimed it was him and his own cats. He said that he had slaughtered the King himself and that we could now work towards happiness in the city. He made rules that every piece of prey we caught must be brought to the great Pile of Plenty. Each morning all toms and all she-cats without kits younger than six moons of age were to hunt until Sunhigh. Then we were to line up with all of our food and toss it into the pile where it would be 'rationed'. Every cat would receive their portion at Dusk and take it home to their family.

"There were a few moons of peace in the city. Even through a drought Capone made sure we all had the right amount of water for our families. My mate gave birth to a healthy litter of four: three toms and a she-cat. Unfortunately, one of the toms was born with a lame leg. When my kits were around five moons old, Capone had employed a fair number of city toms as guards for security purposes. He was now keeping all the food and the water, though the drought was over, under a close watch. He claimed there had been cats stealing.

"That's when I started to notice that the rations for each group were becoming smaller and smaller. As me and my family grew thinner and leaner, Capone and his closest allies grew bigger and stronger and much more imposing. Another moon passed and my mate was supposed to be out hunting again, but my handicapped son needed assistance and was unable to hunt," Bearheart's voice had a bit of a creak in it now.

"One day my mate was caught with my kits, helping my injured son. Capone's cats had no sympathy whatsoever. They claimed that neither my kits nor my mate were contributing to helping Capone's generosity and that my family could not stay. In the end my mate had no other place to go. Capone ordered that the rest of my family be slaughtered…I never saw them again."

Bearheart was silent for a while. Gorsepaw stared at him sympathetically, though his eyes gleamed with some other emotion as well. Then Bearheart continued.

"Other cats in the city were noticing the changes. They wanted to run away, to regain their freedom, but Capone had sentries on all borders of the city now. I offered to help them but I thought that the plan was only for cats with a death wish. After much convincing I agreed to come with them. I had nothing left to lose anyways.

"The leader of our little band of cats was named Midnight. She was probably one of the bravest cats I have ever met in my entire life. She sacrificed herself for the rest of us to get away, and we succeeded. I didn't think it was possible, but we did! We got away from that conniving piece of fox dung Gorsepaw! When I think about it now it still amazes me."

"So that's how NightClan came into existence?" Gorsepaw asked.

"I'm getting to that," Bearheart said sternly, "Midnight's son, Heron, took over as our leader. We traveled for three days and four nights, following a stream, and only taking short breaks to hunt and rest. The stream led into a cave but we went around it; it was the cave that is now our home. The fourth day we found a split in the stream; it branched off one way into a murky older forest. We realized we would have to ford over the water. It took quite a while to get us all across, but we did it without casualties. Our plan was to keep following it but we were suddenly stopped by a group of cats.

"We thought they were Capone's cats who had followed us all this way to take us back and have us killed. However, we noticed that they were too few in number, and they didn't look at all like rogues from the city. They had long muscular legs, especially their hind legs, and lean bodies with large chests. They asked us where we were from. Some of them were rather hostile towards us, but their leader insisted we bring them back to meet Hollystar. You've probably guessed this, but we had wandered into TallClan territory.

"Our whole group was led into the thick of the forest. We came across a large clearing filled with fallen trees and branches. There were cats everywhere staring at us or hissing. Then a dark-gray she-cat appeared and everyone was silent. We realized this must be Hollystar. She was tall and thin, but muscles rippled under her pelt. I could tell she was old because her muzzle was covered with white and gray hairs. She welcomed us and taught us all about clan life. She said she would help give us a place to stay and make our home if we adopted clan ways. We were all in agreement.

"We were then allowed to stay in the TallClan camp until the full moon. We were taken care of and fed and we learned even more. At the full moon all of us accompanied Hollystar and TallClan to the Gathering. We were met with mixed emotions. Most cats were unhappy, especially WildClan and RushClan. Hollystar explained to them all why we were there. She said that we should be allowed to stay and rule the cavernous territory between WildClan and SnakeClan, and if we turned our backs against StarClan and the Warrior Code that we would be driven out immediately.

"All the clans finally, although with little enthusiasm, agreed to let us stay. We moved into the territory and marked out the borders. We began the long process of learning our home and where to hunt and train, and how to fight or deal with border skirmishes. After a week we were getting more settled and Heron decided it was okay to leave for a bit to visit the Night Cave and receive his nine lives. He was accompanied by Echoflower, Echo then, who was to be the first medicine cat of our clan.

"However, things didn't go as planned that night. On the way back from speaking with StarClan, the two were attacked by a fox. Heron was killed and Echo had deep scratches on her shoulder. She returned to the camp we had made by herself. She told us about the attack and how Heron had admitted to her before he died that StarClan had not given him nine lives and had told him he would die tonight because he could never fully believe in StarClan even after he had seen them. He told Echo, now named Echoflower by StarClan, that Willow, Midnight's daughter and Heron's sister, was to be the leader.

"And so we followed through with it. Another week and a few days had passed when Echoflower told Willow to go with her to Night Cave. Every cat was on edge, praying that there would not be another death. This time they both returned safely. 'I am now Willowstar', Willow told us, 'StarClan has given us this land, and in honor of Midnight and the Cave where I have seen and spoken to our ancestors, we will be NightClan.' So each of us was given a proper warrior name and those that didn't want to be a part of the clan were sent away. The other clans were angry of our name and changed the name of Night Cave to Moon Cave. We have always been looked down upon by them, but Willowstar is changing that. And that is how NightClan came into existence," Bearheart finished, "Did my story live up to your expectations?"

Gorsepaw nodded his head rapidly, "Yes Bearheart. It was a good story. I am sorry about your mate and kits though…"

He desperately wanted to ask Bearheart more about Capone, but decided against it.

Bearheart slowly dipped his head to the long-furred apprentice, "They may walk the skies now, maybe even in StarClan, but I still love them very much. Now my clan is my family."

Gorsepaw's eyes shone brilliantly, "I'll bring you my best kill the next time I go hunting."

"Thank you Gorsepaw."

"No, thank you Bearheart."

The dark-colored apprentice left the den quickly and silently, his mind racing. He was so lost in thought that he ran straight into his father. Batflight hissed in surprise.

"Oh! Gorsepaw! Watch where you're walking, would ya?" the smoky black tom growled good-naturedly.

"Father, will you tell me about Capone?" Gorsepaw asked, seeing this as an opportunity to learn even more about the mysterious rogue tom.

Batflight's eyes widened in angry surprise, and then softened at his son's curiosity. He led his son towards the entrance of NightClan's camp and out into the woods. Finally they stopped and Batflight had Gorsepaw sit down.

"I was a bit older than you are now when the escape was made. Midnight and many other good cats died that night," Batflight began.

Gorsepaw's tail whipped angrily, he interrupted his father, "Please, tell me more about _Capone_!"

Batflight narrowed his eyes, his hackles rising, "That cat was pure evil and that's all there is to it Gorsepaw!"

"But what if he _wasn't_ evil!? What if he was good before he took over? What if he was just misunderstood? Bearheart said he had helped keep peace in the city; that must count for something?" Gorsepaw whined.

His father sighed, "Gorsepaw, you shouldn't go on wondering about these things, it will be a curse upon NightClan's happiness. Capone was clever, but from the very beginning he wanted nothing more than power and she-cats. Cats were dying under his watch and he didn't seem to care. He brushed it off as nothing. I don't understand why you're so…interested. I hope you hold no admiration towards him. He ruined many lives Gorsepaw!"

Gorsepaw lowered his head in defeat, "I just…I just thought, if he had been good, that it could have worked. If he hadn't been after power, if he was good, cats could have had a good life in Two-leg Place."

"Gorsepaw, nothing like what Capone did could ever work. You see, power is a great yet terrible thing. Just when a cat thinks he's doing right, he turns his nose in the wrong direction because he can get more for himself. It's an instinct. If a cat has all the best, more than anything else, then he is the survivor. He can hold no sympathy for anyone else, because in a place like the city, kindness is weakness. That is how it always has been and it will never change," Batflight flicked his ear in dismissal and left.

Gorsepaw watched his father leave. He felt humiliated. If what his father had said was true, then there should never have been a leader of NightClan. But Bearheart had said that Willowstar was good, that she was changing the way the other clans saw NightClan. Personally Gorsepaw thought she was very patient and noble, and he vowed to be fiercely loyal to her.

He let out a low, angry breath, "You're wrong father. Power does not corrupt a cat; it's what a cat does with his power that can be dangerous. It's about the choices you make, and I've made mine. I'll be the best warrior of NightClan; everyone will respect me. And if I get to be leader, I will make NightClan so great we will never have to live in fear or oppression ever!"

**A/N: Brave words. He clearly held true to his promise because in present day he is the deputy. In the Prologue he is around 6 and a half moons old. Until next chapter, Panthera Uncia.**


	2. Chapter 1 - Fishstripe

**I'm back with chapter 1. Sorry for the late update. School is back in session and, well, I didn't exactly start it very well with my friends. I, out of my cowardice, alienated myself from them. Without them, I kind of lost any motivation to continue. So, after stumbling through and rewriting multiple portions of this I finally think it's as good as it is going to be right now. If it seems overly angst-y, it's because it is, not only because I have been feeling that way, but also the main character in this chapter has some anger issues.**

**This story is in 3****rd**** person centered on 5 characters, one from each clan. I will try to keep going in a constant cycle of all 5 in a specific order. Sometimes I may have to give one character a couple of chapters or skip around a bit. I am also trying to keep going on a constant timeline, so hopefully I won't have to jump back in time very much unless I'm doing purposeful flashbacks. That means every chapter happens right after the one previously unless I specify otherwise. Enjoy!**

**Note: This story is rated T and there is some cursing in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Warriors**_**.**

**Chapter 1****~Fishstripe**

"_Herringpaw, please step forward," a silver tabby she-cat called out into the crowd of cats._

_A sleek black tom stepped out of the group, his chest swelling with pride._

"_You fought very bravely against the trespassing Two-legs and you rescued your brother from being captured. I think you have rightfully earned your warrior name. I, Dewstar, leader of RushClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice; he has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Herringpaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code, and to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?"_

_Herringpaw stood coolly, but his twitching tail gave away his excitement, "I do."_

_Dewstar smiled down at him, "Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name. From this moment on you will be known as Herringtooth. StarClan honors your courage and quick-thinking and we welcome you as a full member of RushClan!"_

"_Herringtooth! Herringtooth!" all the RushClan cats called out._

_All through the ceremony, a little smoky tabby tom sulked inside of the medicine den. He wouldn't be made a warrior today, unlike his brother._

_The Two-leg had scooped him up while he was hunting and when Herringpaw, Herringtooth now, had come to his "rescue", the slimy, hairless thing had thrown him down into the river. The water hadn't been deep enough to break his fall and his back had crunched painfully into the boulders below. He had tumbled down into the swift current, and was pulled farther and farther away, his limbs failing to help carry him to shore.  
_

_He could practically hear the laughter of the RushClan cats all the way back at camp. A RushClan cat that couldn't swim…it was pretty much a crime._

_Swanwing, a beautiful she-cat, had jumped in to save him. She had pulled and pulled, but he was too heavy for her. They had collided with a rock, leaving Swanwing with a raw wound across her shoulder. Finally, with the help of three other cats, they had both been dragged out of the river. The others had needed to carry him back to camp. It had been the most humiliating moment of his life._

_He should be up there with his brother now, receiving his warrior name. Instead, he had gotten in trouble for being where he wasn't supposed to be. To make it worse, the medicine cat had told him he had almost broken his back. If he had landed in any other position or had fallen from only a little bit higher, he would have died or been paralyzed for life._

_It was almost more agonizing to see Herringtooth strutting around though, his friends all congratulating him._

"_Fishpaw, why aren't you cheering for your brother?" a voice came from next to him. He turned to face the dazzling blue eyes of Swanwing. Her shoulder was covered with dock leaves and cobwebs. His stomach fluttered and some of the anger dissipated._

"_I should be standing up there with him. Now all of RushClan thinks I'm pathetic," the apprentice muttered._

_Swanwing gave him a sympathetic smile, "He saved your life. If it had been the other way around I'm sure that Dewstar would have made you a warrior as well."_

_Fishpaw sighed, "I know. I just always thought we'd be made warriors together."_

_Swanwing shifted closer to him, "I understand."_

_Then Fishpaw relaxed into sleep next to her, the ache in his heart fading._

_A moon passed by in a blur, and once again Dewstar was calling the clan together. Fishpaw's back had healed and he had pushed himself harder than ever in training. Despite all of his perseverance, his fighting and swimming skills still lacked. He was surprised that Dewstar had decided to make him a warrior now. He figured it was out of sympathy._

"_RushClan, Fishpaw's warrior ceremony was put off by an unfortunate accident. He has trained well these past few weeks and it is time he got his warrior name. I, Dewstar, leader of RushClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," Dewstar began. Fishpaw mouthed the words he had heard many times throughout his apprenticeship. Finally it was his turn to have this ceremony._

"_He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Fishpaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code, and to protect and defend your clan even at the cost of your life?"_

_Fishpaw's reply was loud and victorious, "I do."_

"_Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Fishstripe. StarClan honors your strong will and devotion and we welcome you as a full member of RushClan," Dewstar ended. She stepped down in front of Fishstripe and rested her muzzle on his head. Fishstripe reached up and licked her shoulder respectfully, as was tradition._

_The clan burst into shouts, cheering his new name, "Fishstripe! Fishstripe!"_

"_Wait!" Dewstar interrupted. The smile on Fishstripe's face faltered._

"_The naming of a new warrior is wonderful. It means that RushClan is growing stronger. Something almost more important is the naming of new apprentices. Currently we have no apprentices, but there are kits that have surpassed the age of six moons. Sandkit, Coralkit, Frozenkit, Lightkit, and Otterkit please step forward."_

_Five kits stepped out of the crowd, their fur groomed to perfection._

"_Sandkit, from this moment on you will be called Sandpaw. Duskwhisker, you are a brilliant warrior. You will be mentor to Sandpaw," Dewstar instructed._

_Fishstripe watched his father slip to the front of the group. Duskwhisker reached down and touched noses with a cream tabby tom._

"_Coralkit, from this moment on you will be called Coralpaw. Lilydapple will mentor you."_

_Fishstripe couldn't believe it, his father and his mother both were receiving apprentices. Warmth flooded over him. His parents were wonderful warriors so he was sure that he would be too. He would get an apprentice of his own soon enough, he was certain of it._

"_Frozenkit, from this moment on you will be called Frozenpaw. I know she is young, but I have full confidence that Swanwing will be a great mentor for you."_

_Swanwing looked surprised and nervous. She walked up hesitantly until she was standing next to Fishstripe. He gave her ear a quick lick as she passed, "You'll be great." She flashed him a small smile and continued forward until she touched noses with Frozenpaw._

"_Lightkit, from this moment on you will be called Lightpaw. Aspenfall will be your mentor."_

_An excited cheer came from a couple of toms in the crowd. Aspenfall was known to be very talented. Though the toms behind him bustled up to nudge his shoulder in congratulation, the tall golden tabby tom continued forward solemnly. Fishstripe liked him. Aspenfall had always been really nice and encouraging to him. He would be a great mentor for Lightpaw. Aspenfall touched his nose to Lightpaw's, the shimmer in his eyes giving away how happy he was._

"_Otterkit, from this moment on you will be called Otterpaw. I have chosen a young warrior to mentor you. Herringtooth, you were taught excellently and I have full confidence that you will pass on all you know to Otterpaw," Dewstar finished._

_Something dark and cold crept up Fishstripe's throat. He felt like he couldn't breathe. The noises of his clan around him became distant as they called out the names of the new apprentices. They had forgotten all about him._

_How could Herringtooth get an apprentice so early?_

_Fishstripe looked up at Dewstar. The leader of RushClan was standing atop of the stone where she called clan meetings. She smiled down at her clan but when her eyes met Fishstripe's he noticed a flicker of fear._

_Anger ripped through the dark tabby but it was quickly replaced with pain. He dashed headlong out of the crowd of cats and sprinted towards the entrance of the camp as fast as he could._

"_Fishstripe, stop!" Dewstar commanded, her voice rising over the murmuring cats below her, "You cannot leave camp until you have completed your vigil!"_

_Everyone was staring at him now._

"_Doesn't he know that?"_

"_Why was he running away?"_

"_Where was he going?"_

"_Are we being attacked?"_

_Mutters and whispers rose up, exploding in Fishstripe's ears far too loudly. It was followed by laughter. The uproar of his clan mates laughing at him echoed inside of his head until he could bear it no longer. He crept quickly into a secluded corner of the camp and shut his eyes as tight as possible, trying to escape this nightmare._

Fishstripe spluttered awake, his chest heaving. It took him a few moments to shake away the terrifying remnants of his dream.

He got to his paws, his breath still a bit ragged. The last thing he had wanted was to relive the embarrassment of his warrior ceremony. Anger crackled inside of him and he struggled to keep his claws sheathed. Once he had calmed down he crept out of the den.

Outside, the bright morning sun hit him blindingly. Besides the cats preparing for the dawn patrol, the camp was empty and silent. Fishstripe sat down quietly, eavesdropping on the dawn patrol cats as they conversed a few fox lengths away from him. It appeared his brother was taking the lead.

"We should head towards the SnakeClan border," Herringtooth suggested, "It hasn't been marked for some time now. We don't want any of those mud-walkers dirtying up our territory."

"That's a good idea," Blazefoot agreed, grinning at Herringtooth's insult on SnakeClan.

"Hey, Vinestripe, you should get Floodpaw after we're done patrolling. He and Otterpaw could do some battle practice together," Herringtooth added, "Otterpaw needs to work on his speed."

The large brown tabby tom nodded.

Fishstripe figured they would continue on like this…his brother would say something and the rest would just nod their heads in pathetic agreement. He rose to his paws, feelings his muscles flex with tension and his claws curl. That's when Herringtooth turned his head and caught sight of his lurking brother. He flashed Fishstripe a warm grin.

"Hey, Fishstripe, since you're awake, you should join us on the dawn patrol. We're going to see if any SnakeClan cats have been sneaking over the border. Come on! It'll be fun!" the black tom invited.

Fishstripe stifled a hiss and turned his nose away. He needed to think of an excuse to get his brother off his back, "I can't because…I'm going hunting."

Herringtooth gave him a weird look, "This early? Won't all the prey be asleep still? And you're going all by yourself?"

"Do you think I can't handle it?" Fishstripe challenged, his hackles rising.

His brother spluttered, taken aback. Fishstripe was about to launch another sharp remark but was stopped in his tracks.

"Um, good morning," a voice came from somewhere off to the side. Fishstripe and Herringtooth both turned their heads at the exact same time. Swanwing stood there, looking quite sleepy still.

"I wasn't going to hunt alone Herringtooth. Come on Swanwing, let's go," Fishstripe said, rather spiteful.

"Wha-?" Swanwing half-asked, half-yawned.

"We're going hunting together this morning, remember?" Fishstripe coaxed the pretty she-cat, hoping she would play along with his ruse; anything to get Herringtooth off his back.

She stared hard at him before nodding lazily. He breathed a silent breath of relief. She was covering for him.

"Just a second. Herringtooth, may I have a word with you?" Swanwing asked. The large black cat nodded his head and led her away from the group. Fishstripe was sure that Swanwing was going to be telling him off. He watched their faces and tried to read their lips but he could not distinguish anything from the way their mouths moved. Swanwing kept casting long glances at him and Herringtooth mostly just nodded.

Finally Swanwing turned towards him and walked over.

"Alright, we can go," she said hastily.

_Was she asking for my brother's permission?_ Fishstripe wondered. He wanted to call her out on it, but he cared too much for her. She was one of the only cats in the clan that had ever shown him kindness and affection. She had saved him in the river the time Herringtooth showed him up. They had agreed that they would become warriors together but Herringtooth broke that promise. Hatred for his brother seethed under Fishstripe's pelt until his eyes glazed over and his mind became consumed with the color red. Swanwing glanced up at him as they finally exited the camp across the narrow stream in RushClan territory called "Willowclaw Stream".

"You can relax now," she told him, "Herringtooth doesn't hate you, ya know."

Fishstripe sighed, "If he cared about me he wouldn't try to humiliate me all the time."

"Don't you think that you humiliate yourself sometimes?" she asked teasingly, but her eyes were serious. Fishstripe felt his temper flare a bit but he eased it back down by taking in a deep breath. The scent of RushClan flowed into him. It was so…comfortable; the smell of the fragrant river flowers and the shimmering fish gliding beneath the water. The river branched out in two directions on either side of the RushClan camp. The side that he and Swanwing had crossed was much shallower and thinner. It sometimes flooded in the rainy season but the current was still much gentler than the other side, and besides, every RushClan cat was taught from birth how to be a powerful swimmer.

Forgetting what Swanwing had asked, Fishstripe inquired, "Where should we hunt today?"

Swanwing gave him a rather hurt look but answered calmly, "Troutleap told me yesterday that there seemed to be quite a few fat fish gathering up past the Two-leg Bridge. How about there? It should be nice and quiet this morning and no one will be out hunting until later."

He nodded quickly. It was just what he needed to help him feel better: time alone with Swanwing. Maybe this was finally the chance he had been waiting for. He could finally talk to her and tell her how he had felt about her since he was an apprentice. They began at a medium pace padding into the forest but still following the river. Fishstripe felt as though right now he should keep silent and so he occupied his mind with what to say to her.

The river rushed past them loudly, the trickling water making Fishstripe feel calm and relaxed. All thoughts of Herringtooth evaporated for the moment; he was completely consumed with affection for the gorgeous long-furred she-cat in front of him. He could hear everything he wished he could say tumbling through his mind. _Swanwing, if only you knew how much I care about you. You make me feel so much better about myself. You make me feel wanted and cared about and you never try to compete with me. I wish that Herringtooth was like you, and that he never tried to make me look bad in RushClan. I wish that everyone in our clan looked at me the way they look at him: like a hero. You're my hero Swanwing, you saved me. I love you._

The Two-leg Bridge came into view and Fishstripe was forced out of his daydream. Swanwing turned back and blinked at him to make sure he had kept up. She plodded up to the side of the river, peeking down into the water on the far side of the moldy, abandoned Two-leg contraption. Her tail flicked with anticipation and Fishstripe guessed that she had seen prey down there. He crept silently up to her, his tail brushing softly against hers. She tensed and turned to look at him. He sat down behind her and to the side. His tail flicked against her flank comfortingly and he began to groom her shoulder. A warm purr rumbled in his throat, but Swanwing did not reciprocate it.

"Fishstripe, I thought we were here to hunt," she reminded him gently. He glanced at her feeling disappointment like a stone in his belly.

"Swanwing," he murmured in between laps of his tongue against her pale pelt, "I've been hunting after you for so long now. I finally am getting the chance to tell you how much I care about you and to ask you if you'll stop running away and if you'll be my mate."

Swanwing pulled away from him, her ears flattening and crystalline eyes lowering to stare at the dirt beneath her paws.

"That's very sweet Fishstripe, albeit the slightly creepy metaphor, but…" her eyes then met his and he felt his heart already beginning to sink as she continued, "I already have a mate."

He could practically hear the sound of his heart hitting the stony ground and shattering into a million pieces, "…oh…um…I'm sorry Swanwing…g-goodbye then."

He turned and sprinted off ignoring her call of "wait" and not bothering to listen and hear her whisper, "…I really am sorry."

Pain flooded through him. How could he have been wrong for so long now? He had thought that she had shared his feelings; he had thought that she loved him. Who else would she choose above him?

His paws kept thrumming against the moist ground, but he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Suddenly his front legs bashed into a fallen tree and he tripped. His muzzle flew over his tail and he landed unceremoniously on the other side of the log. His shoulder stung from the impact, but he ignored it scrabbling to his feet again. He peered up through a break in the trees to catch a glimpse of the last remaining stars from the night time only hours before. His fur bushed out and his claws strained against the dirt beneath them. He felt a tiny trickle of blood run down his shoulder blade but he didn't even bother to glance at his injury. Instead his eyes continued to glare upwards filled with hatred and a lust for vindication.

"Damn you StarClan!" he hissed as loud as he could, "Damn you for letting me suffer, for making me second- best in everything!"

Then something dawned on him. StarClan hadn't made him second-best…Herringtooth had. His livid mantra changed.

"Damn you Herringtooth! Damn you to the Dark Forest! StarClan's eyes must be blind for wanting you to be great! Until the day I die, and even after that, I will haunt you and your mate and your kits and anyone in your pathetic life who you hold in higher regards than your own brother!"

Fishstripe collapsed then, sobbing as he covered his head with his paws. _No,_ he thought, _StarClan damn me for being a failure. As long as I am alive, I will never be good enough._

~Later~

The sun had already reached its highest point in the sky by the time Fishstripe began heading back to camp. His claws ached from him digging them brutally into the ground. By now the scrape on his shoulder had stopped bleeding and his fur had crusted around the wound.

He had kept true to his word and gone hunting, but he never returned to the river to hunt fish. Instead he had plodded around in the bright forest searching out small rodents. A water vole and a tiny mouse had been buried under some moss near a bramble thicket not too far away, and in his jaws he carried another mouse. It dangled from his mouth by its tail, swinging with every brisk step he took.

The anger and pain were still there but it had dissipated a bit. It was more just a cold, dull burning sensation in the pit of his chest. He tried to shove the raw agony and resentment away and convince himself that if Swanwing was happy, then he could be happy too, for her sake.

When he reached the stream to get back to camp, he decided to cross the Shadow Stones instead of swimming. It was preferred when carrying prey, or when warriors got lazy. The large rocks jutted up from the burbling water of Willowclaw Stream, each droplet turning the light gray smoothness of the rocks into glistening ebony, hence the name "Shadow".

Once safely in camp, Fishstripe gazed amongst the reeds for any sign of Swanwing. His heart thumped at an intense speed. He couldn't decide whether he would be happy or dejected to see her. However, he never caught sight of her, quickly releasing a breath he never realized he had held.

He dashed out of camp again almost as soon as he was done dropping his mouse on the fresh-kill pile. In the forest again, he found the spot where he had buried the other two pieces of prey, dug them up, and headed back to the RushClan camp once more. He had only been gone a moment it had seemed, but after he tossed the tiny furry morsels where they belonged, he noticed that Swanwing was back; and in the shadows of the golden-green leaves a dark shadow lurked next to her, with lightning yellow eyes.

_Herringtooth._

A fresh wave of hot fury roiled through Fishstripe. His eyes narrowed coldly and he angled his ears forward trying to hear if they were talking, and if so, what they were talking about.

"Are you okay? You look a bit ruffled," that was his brother's low voice.

Swanwing let out a breathy sigh that Fishstripe could see as well as hear.

"I am fine, but I do not know if _he_ is. You were right about the fact that he would say something. I feel bad for hurting his feelings. He ran away after I told him I had a mate," Swanwing's tail swished back and forth.

They were talking about him; Fishstripe could tell that much.

"Did you tell him who your mate was?" Herringtooth inquired softly.

"Why, in the name of StarClan, would I tell him that?" Swanwing growled.

"He'll find out soon enough I'm sure," Herringtooth pointed out.

"Yes, but you know he hates you! It was bad enough for me to reject him; I didn't think I needed to make his day any worse," she whispered.

The fury that had consumed Fishstripe vanished at her words. A frigid numbness crept in to take its place. Something made a hoarse choking noise and then he realized it was himself. The wretched whimper escaped without him wanting it to. Swanwing and his brother both heard it, their ears pricking. Two heads whipped to face him with horror and surprise.

Swanwing was _his brother's_ mate! Why hadn't he guessed that? He should have known that it had been _Herringtooth_ who had _stolen_ the love of his life…the only thing that made him want to keep living.

Fishstripe felt his ears pinned to the back of his head. His whiskers quivered in front of him, blurring his vision.

"Fishstripe," Swanwing began, "I-I just…I know you…why can't you just-

"How could you?" he interrupted, sadness clinging to his voice like a spider web to a tree, "How could you betray me? How could take that disgusting, sadistic, ugly piece of fox-dung as your mate? I thought you cared about me…"

The ginger and white she-cat looked disheartened for a second, but then her eyes narrowed at him. Her tail lashed wildly back and forth. She stalked menacingly up to him, and when she spoke, the hatred erupting from her mouth was something Fishstripe had never known she had in her.

"How could _I_, Fishstripe?" she hissed, "Why don't you ever stop and ask yourself the same question? Like, how can you hate your brother for something he never did?! How can you be ungrateful when he saved your life?! How can you possibly think, that after all the terrible things you have said, _I_ would want to be _with you_?! You want to know how _I _could? I could because at the end of the day, I want to be absolutely certain that the one I choose is someone who won't turn their back on me the second they don't get what they want! Your brother is a skilled warrior, a caring tom, and he doesn't throw temper tantrums like a puny kit!"

"But-," Fishstripe was cut off as she continued her furious rant.

"If you truly cared about me, you would have worked to change and be a better warrior! You would have stopped moping seasons ago about the consequences of something _you caused_! Herringtooth is so patient with you; even after all you've put him through he still loves you! You should have grown up by now, but I'm beginning to think that you never will! Let the past go already and focus on proving to everybody how good of a warrior you are! If you had done that, maybe I would have chosen you instead! I don't regret for a single second choosing him over you! He's twice the cat you'll ever be if you continue to travel down your jealous path! I didn't want to have to hurt you but I'm sick and tired of your inexcusable behavior. Don't ever try to chase me if all you do is insult someone else that I care about!"

"I tried as hard as I could Swanwing, I swear!" he attempted to explain.

Her head swung, her blue eyes flashing coldly as she spat, "Well you should have tried harder!"

Then the she-cat marched away, her fur bristling. Herringtooth stared at her in surprise before his eyes glanced back to his brother. Fishstripe didn't look at him with any hatred or malice; he was in too much shock. Without saying a word, Fishstripe rose to his paws, his eyes glazing over numbly as he exited out into the forest again.

He didn't pay attention to where his paws were leading him, but in what seemed to be a very short time, he was forced to halt at the scent of TallClan's border markers. He looked up and his golden eyes met with emerald green ones. It was a she-cat; she had short ginger fur crossed with thin stripes and a downy white chest. He recognized her as Gingerdawn, a well-respected, senior warrior of TallClan. He had expected malice, but her gaze read curiosity.

"What has led you all the way to our border, young warrior?" she asked. Her voice was warm and motherly, with a hint of sharpness that would have been very effective at scolding.

"It really isn't any of your business," Fishstripe growled, but his voice was low and weak; there wasn't any feeling behind his words.

"My apologies," she said, thinking he suspected her of being a spy, "I never introduced myself. I am Gingerdawn. I hope that you do not think badly of me for questioning you, I in no way intended to sound shady. I can tell that something is weighing heavily on your mind. I swear by StarClan I am not sent here on any clan business, merely to get away from my, regrettably, stifling family. I guess I was hoping I would find someone to speak to, but I am silly to look for a solution across borders. I will leave now unless you wish otherwise."

She turned to leave, but Fishstripe, somehow compelled to learn more about the baffling she-cat, called her back, "Wait!"

Her piercing green eyes met his again and she padded a bit closer to him, scanning him inquiringly. Her whiskers twitched and she came to an abrupt halt, as she nearly strayed across the border.

"Fishstripe," the words tumbled out unbidden, "My name is Fishstripe. You said you wanted someone to talk to, and, well, I guess that's why I ended up wandering here too. Maybe we can help each other…?"

She stared hard at him, half in surprise and half in caution. He met her eyes unblinkingly; he wasn't here to start qualms with her, he sincerely wished to be helpful and hoped to gain a listening ear.

"Yes," she said after a while, "I will come back here after sun down. Then we can speak in silence under the blanket of night. I thank you much for your kindness."

She dipped her head to him and spun back towards the heart of her own territory. Her tail twitched, but Fishstripe was unsure why. He was also wondering if he had imagined the quick wink she had flashed him as she whirled around. She certainly was a very interesting, _attractive_ she-cat. He gulped; he really shouldn't be thinking of her like _that. _Relationships across boundaries were strictly against the Warrior Code. Suddenly the prospect of meeting her again that night seemed a bit more frightening and, shamefully, exciting.

_Maybe she will be the one who will finally listen and understand me,_ he thought, _I never imagined that I would become friends with a TallClan cat, but I admit that I'm very pleased to have met her. No matter what, I am going to make the best of having her in my life; at long last I won't have to be second-best to someone, even if that someone is not technically allowed to me by _Clan law_._

**Gingerdawn is, how you say, well…a whore, in literal terms. Her reputation in TallClan is one of toying with tom cats, even though she does have a mate and one kit who you'll meet later. You'll also see that even the relationship with her child and her actual mate is rather phony. I really like Fishstripe, he's so angst-y, and he gets to be more-so in some later chapters. But he deserves to be happy sometime, so I'll give him that much. The only true anger he has is towards his brother, but that'll be explored later as well. The end was a bit rushed…my apologies. Reviews would be nice, they're a good way to ask me any questions about the story, but it doesn't make that much of a difference to me. I just hope whoever is reading enjoys the story. Until next chapter, Panthera Uncia.**


	3. Chapter 2 - Lightningpaw

**Here's Chapter 2. We're going to meet a new character again. This one is an apprentice, and I think you will quickly learn what antagonizes his life. This takes place in TallClan territory, the night after Fishstripe meets with Gingerdawn…so basically this chapter is the day after Chapter 1. Also, there is a bit of fluff towards the end. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****Warriors****.**

**Chapter 2~Lighningpaw**

"Psst, Lightningpaw, wake up."

The sorrel flecked tom blatantly ignored the soft words, mistaking them to be a dream. Something cold brushed up against his pelt and he shivered into wakefulness. His yellow eyes opened to the jade green ones of his mentor, Larkshine.

Lightningpaw pushed himself to his paws, stretching out his back and mussing up his moss at the same time. He shook an annoying scrap of the soft green bedding from between his claws. Dawn had not yet broken; he could tell by the scent of the rough night wind as it teased its way into the apprentices' den. Larkshine stared at him expectantly and he dipped his head in greeting to her. She flicked her tail for him to follow.

Her lithe body slid out of the den with ease and Lightningpaw envied her grace. She was the youngest warrior in TallClan, but at the same time she was very talented. Her hunting abilities were above average and her fighting skills were rivaled by few. She had a small build, but she wasn't at all fragile. Her shoulders rippled with muscle and her hind-legs, though appearing the same as other TallClan cats', were exceedingly stout.

All TallClan cats had strong hind-quarters. They were tree-climbers, and spent a lot of time hunting in the forest for birds and squirrels. Larkshine had become especially skilled in using her hind-legs in combat. That was what today's training session was going to be centered on: battle.

In the center of camp, Lightningpaw glanced around. Everything was silent and the only other cat present was Cedarfall who remained stoic and vigilant at his guard post. TallClan's camp was a wood clearing surrounded by trees and fallen logs. A huge redwood stood off to the side, its roots curving up out of the ground to reveal an entrance; that was the leader's den. The apprentice's den was located under a sturdy pile of branches covered with leaves and bramble to block out any rain. It was rather spacious and Lightningpaw appreciated that, even though at times the weather still got past the barriers in place. He closed his eyes, reveling in the sentimentality.

"Snap out of it Lightningpaw, we're going to the training place to practice fight, remember? The others are already there waiting for us," Larkshine ordered him, though her voice was calm and respectful.

She was right, he noted. The apprentices' den had been empty when she had woken him up. He wondered if his mother and father would be there with their apprentices, or if Pinepaw and Rowanpaw had gone by themselves.

He wouldn't have to wonder for long as Larkshine beckoned to him and then leapt agilely out of the camp. Lightningpaw had only a little bit of trouble keeping up with her. He had the same strong legs as every other cat in his clan, and he was lean and tough, though not a very good fighter…yet. Each day brought with it an opportunity to learn new skills, and he really shouldn't be down about it when he had only completed about one and a half moons of his apprenticeship so far.

Despite yesterday's sun, it appeared that today's blue sky would be cloaked in pale clouds. Each break in the leaves above didn't dapple the ground with gold, but more with a silvery-gray. Lightningpaw caught glimpses of the unyielding sheet as he dashed through the forest after his mentor.

It didn't take them too long to reach the training clearing. Tall redwood trees, maples, and gnarled oaks all reared up out of the ground with a soft, grassy circle left in the middle, perfect for cats to practice their skills. The other apprentices were there already as Larkshine had said, but not all of the mentors were: it was only Hollowclaw actually. It didn't really matter though, his two best friends were sitting there, both flashing him warm grins. He headed towards Stripepaw and Mallowpaw to complete the 'Terrible Trio' as Stripepaw often called them.

Seconds after Lightningpaw had bounded over to his friends Hollowclaw ordered their attention. Hollowclaw was a rather strange-looking tom, but he was Lightningpaw's father. Lightningpaw always made sure to thank StarClan for not inheriting his father's ragged, curly coat. His father was tall and muscular with TallClan's trademark powerful hindquarters. From far away Hollowclaw looked like any other black cat, but up close he carried an uncommon trait. His fur was silken black and silver, and it cascaded over his body in softly curled waves. Though Lightningpaw found his father's pelt oddly mesmerizing, he was grateful for his regular short, smooth fur. Another loud huff from Hollowclaw knocked Lightningpaw away from his wandering thoughts.

"Apprentices, today we will be working on using our clan's assets in combat. Pinepaw and Stripepaw, you are the oldest. I know the others have probably already seen or even practiced these moves, but will you please do a quick demonstration putting some TallClan moves together?" the large dark tom commanded more than asked.

Lightningpaw tapped Stripepaw's shoulder for good luck and watched his comrade slink into the center of the clearing and face off against Pinepaw. Stripepaw was Pinepaw's brother, but they were completely different besides their pelts being similar in color. Pinepaw was a hulking gray tabby with cold green eyes; he was a strong, ruthless fighter and incredibly loyal to TallClan. Stripepaw on the other hand, was lighter in color with darker stripes and more yellow in his eyes. Stripepaw was a brilliant fighter too, but he was also very goofy and enjoyed playing pranks and telling jokes more than training. Nonetheless, he was very caring and loved his brother, even when Pinepaw was cruel and demeaning to him or his pals.

The two tabby toms circled one another. As each one moved, their shapes blurred until it looked to Lightningpaw as if a cat was having a standoff with its own reflection. True, the brothers were built similarly, but under all the muscle and fur they were opposites.

Stripepaw struck first, knowing that his brother wouldn't; that was part of Pinepaw's strategy. The lighter silver tom leapt at Pinepaw with arms outstretched, but instead of hitting the other darker tom, landed behind him. Pinepaw's head whipped around, recognizing Stripepaw's tactic, and watching Stripepaw crawl swiftly up the trunk of a tree. Then Stripepaw shoved off hard with his back legs, twisting through the air towards Pinepaw. However, since Pinepaw was expecting this from the countless sparring sessions he had had with his brother, the gray tabby reared onto his hind-legs, grabbing Stripepaw's scruff midair and tossing the smaller tabby across the clearing. Stripepaw bounced a couple times before skidding to a halt, shreds of grass flying past his ears.

Lightningpaw watched his friend closely, knowing that the springy ground had softened his landing and that the lighter tabby was fine. Sure enough, Stripepaw stirred, but before he could get to his paws again Pinepaw was sprinting towards him, weaving quickly back and forth. Stripepaw's green-yellow eyes flashed in surprise and Lightningpaw was sure that he was going to get hit. However, just as Pinepaw reared his head back to sharply butt into his brother, Stripepaw jumped backwards, dodging out of the way. Pinepaw growled in frustration, charging again, this time also without success. This continued as Pinepaw kept trying to strike and Stripepaw kept hopping backwards just out of reach. Finally Stripepaw found himself backed up against a tree. While he persistently side-stepped his brother's advances, he scanned the redwood for any low-hanging branches.

"Come on!" came the irritated voice of Hollowclaw, "You're supposed to be displaying TallClan moves!"

Stripepaw shrank back against the tree, watching Pinepaw's eyes light up with a sense of impending victory. Then Stripepaw flashed him a sly grin before pouncing up onto his brother's shoulders and pushing off. The silver tom landed behind his brother and immediately dashed around the thick trunk of the redwood tree. Once he caught sight of his brother again, he dug his front claws sideways into the trunk, the momentum carrying his hind-legs straight into Pinepaw's face.

Pinepaw was knocked off balance. Stripepaw's straining claws slid out of the bark of the tree and flexed pleasantly into the ground.

"This is practice, keep your claws sheathed!" sounded another hiss from Hollowclaw.

Stripepaw let his claws retract before speeding towards his brother and pinning him down. Pinepaw snarled up into his face, "Get off of me Stripepaw! I never lose!"

Pinepaw thrust his hind-paws into Stripepaw's belly sending the smaller tom flying. Then Pinepaw was back on his feet and scaling a nearby twisted oak as fast as possible. Stripepaw staggered up, shaking his muzzle to clear the slight dizziness. His eyes met with Pinepaw's who was standing poised to strike on a high-up tree branch.

"Come on down ya big, hairy squirrel!" Stripepaw teased, sticking his tongue out.

Lightningpaw noted the hot anger flaring in Pinepaw before the darker gray tabby howled back from his perch, "Be careful what you wish for!"

In a blurred flash Pinepaw was suddenly lunging down from the great height. He hit Stripepaw full force in the chest, sending his brother tumbling away once again. This time it looked much more severe.

"Stop! You are finished now!" Hollowclaw yowled.

Stripepaw still hadn't moved, and Lightningpaw was about to go and check on him when the silver tabby leapt up and cantered over to his brother, giving Pinepaw an affectionate nudge.

"Good fight bro!" the ever-cheerful tom smiled. Pinepaw just ignored him and went to sit next to Rowanpaw.

Lightningpaw's father strutted his way into the center of the clearing, his eyes boring into each of the apprentices'. Lightningpaw felt a flicker of nervousness, but he shook it away. His father was always stern and loud, but Hollowclaw was also one of TallClan's most respected senior warriors, not to mention a brilliant fighter.

"Now we're going to split up into teams of two. Pinepaw, you'll spar with Rosepaw. Stripepaw, you'll be with Mallowpaw. That leaves Lightningpaw and Rowanpaw together. Each team is going to practice fighting like a TallClan cat. The first cat from each team to pin their opponent with a TallClan move wins. The last team to finish will be stuck with changing beds for the elders. Get with your partner and begin, I'll be around assessing you," Hollowclaw instructed.

Lightningpaw grumbled under his breath. He just _had_ to be stuck with Pinepaw's irritating crony. Speaking of the Dark Forest, the golden tabby was bounding over to him now. Rowanpaw sneered at him.

"Let's make this quick Sparky. No way am I gonna be cleaning up after the elders," the rude tom mocked.

Lightningpaw cast a glance over Rowanpaw's shoulder. Pinepaw and Rosepaw were ducking and weaving away from each other's blows, and Stripepaw and Mallowpaw were climbing adjacent trees in a race to see who would get to the branches first. In those few seconds of distraction, Rowanpaw had lunged and shoved Lightningpaw roughly into the ground.

Letting out a gasp of surprise, Lightningpaw searched desperately for a breath. It took him a few moments to recapture some oxygen. He squirmed under Rowanpaw's heavy bulk.

"Get off Rowanpaw!" Lightningpaw growled. The other apprentice snorted angrily in response but eventually let Lightningpaw gather his paws beneath himself again.

"Winded already Sparky?!" Rowanpaw taunted, "This is too easy!"

Lightningpaw felt his heart drop. This was going to be a challenge. Rowanpaw was bigger than him and much stronger, and the insults and nicknames didn't help. He needed to get away but he couldn't leave the clearing. His only option right now was the towering maple trunk behind him. While Rowanpaw continued to gloat, Lightningpaw took advantage of the lull in their sparring and turned tail. He began clambering up the tree as fast as he could.

Rowanpaw squealed in furious surprise below him, "Come on back down here Sparky!"

Lightningpaw felt the vibrations of another set of claws in the tree trunk. Rowanpaw was a fox-length below him and climbing fast. Lightningpaw dug his hind-legs deep into the bark, feeling his paw pads press into the sticky sap as his sharp talons pierced into the tree. He made a point to try and shake some leaves and crumbles of tree bark down into Rowanpaw's face but it did nothing to slow the other apprentice. A break in the maple tree appeared and Lightningpaw veered off onto the branch, watching anxiously as his den mate's claws hooked onto the same one just as he spun around.

Now he was face to face with Rowanpaw. The tree limb bent under both of the apprentice's weight as Rowanpaw backed Lightningpaw towards the thin end of the branch. Apprehension stirred wildly in Lightningpaw's stomach. There was no escape for him anymore; Rowanpaw had trapped him. What could he do now? He really didn't want to tangle with the muscular golden-brown tabby. Rowanpaw's eyes flashed fiercely, probably seeing the look of terror in Lightningpaw's eyes, and most definitely smelling the younger apprentice's fear scent.

"Scared Sparky?" Rowanpaw jeered, "Afraid you'll lose to me?"

Lightningpaw helplessly shook his head, wishing that Rowanpaw would leave him alone and give him a fair chance.

"You're not?" Rowanpaw cocked his head in scornful surprise, "Well, you should be. You're an awful fighter Lightningpaw. Your daddy is probably relieved he has me for an apprentice instead of having to watch his own son cower in a corner. You can't beat me Lightningpaw. I've trained with all of the best. I'm nearly even surpassing Pinepaw. Just give it up Sparky!"

Lightningpaw suddenly caught a glimpse of his only escape route. Off to the left of his approaching opponent, was a knotted, yet hopefully sturdy, branch. It was pretty far off, about two or three fox-lengths away. He would be risking it if he jumped…but it was a risk he was going to take. He wanted to get down from the tree and spar with Rowanpaw on the ground. Two cats fighting in a tree was quite dangerous and Lightningpaw was beginning to feel a little sick from being up so high.

Rowanpaw stalked closer and closer, and Lightningpaw matched the other apprentice's pace with his own steps backwards. The tree branch was beginning to dip down farther and farther. An idea sprang into Lightningpaw's mind all of a sudden. He could use the tipping of the branch to add energy to his leap. He would have a better chance of making it then. He pressed his hind-legs down into the branch as hard as he could, feeling it lean downwards even more. Then he gave a quick hop, taking a step forward while his hind-legs were in midair, and then shoving off with as much strength as he could muster. He flew off towards the other maple tree branch, catching a glimpse of Rowanpaw gracelessly trying to keep his balance as the previous branch bobbed up and down.

The next branch was coming closer to Lightningpaw, but the apprentice could tell he wasn't high enough. He reached out his claws and somehow miraculously managed to catch the branch. He dangled there for a bit, his back end curling up to try to help him get a better hold. He felt like he was slipping down, his claws loosening in the bark. _I'm going to fall!_ _Someone please help me! _All trepidation of Rowanpaw was forgotten at the moment as he ferociously struggled to pull himself up. Finally he was able to yank his body so it was on top of the tree branch instead of hanging off. All four sets of his claws were buried deep into the branch he was on, his belly hugging the bark with relief and terror. He glanced over to see Rowanpaw hissing and shrieking madly back on the previous branch.

This was it. Either Rowanpaw was going to come over and trap Lightningpaw up again, or Lightningpaw needed to do something, and quickly. He was supposed to be sparring with Rowanpaw, not running away from him. Lightningpaw swallowed hard and attempted to shove down any alarm as he faced off against Rowanpaw once again.

He had the advantage of higher "ground" now. Lightningpaw forced his paws into a huge leap once again. He could tell he was going to make it this time. Rowanpaw was too busy throwing a fit to realize that the other apprentice was flying at him, and when he did notice, it was too late. Lightningpaw hit Rowanpaw square in the bigger apprentice's chest. They both careened off of the precarious perch and sailed down towards the grassy forest floor. Rowanpaw landed first, using the momentum to roll backwards and kick Lightningpaw off, sending him tumbling across the clearing.

Rowanpaw was on him in a second. The golden tabby tom placed a sturdy paw on Lightningpaw's heaving side.

"Gotcha," Rowanpaw grinned maliciously down at him.

Lightningpaw wanted so badly to push him off and give the other apprentice a clawing he wouldn't soon forget, but he was exhausted. His legs felt weak and numb and his muscles were screaming from all the strain he had put on them. Pain wrapped its cruel arms around his entire body in an unwelcome embrace. All he could do was stare feebly up at his oppressor. But since when did Rowanpaw have two different colored heads?

Lightningpaw shook the confusion away as his vision cleared. Rowanpaw didn't have two heads, the other cat was Pinepaw. The two older apprentices' cold gazes matched perfectly. Two sets of eyes glared down at Lightningpaw, letting him know with full certainty that they were better than him and that he was pathetic.

"Hey Sparky," Pinepaw greeted with a dark smile, "How was your fight—I mean run? Couldn't get away could ya?"

Rowanpaw's eyes were full of admiration for the gray tabby next to him, "Of course he couldn't get away, he was against me, remember?"

Lightningpaw tried to ignore the gloating, but he wouldn't deny that it stung hearing the biting words from his peers.

"But why was he running in the first place?" Pinepaw questioned mockingly.

"You-you saw all that?" Lightningpaw asked.

"We were all done training by the time you got up the first tree!" Pinepaw scoffed, "So then we decided to watch all the fun. You should really focus more on battle training instead of just hanging out."

Rowanpaw snickered at his friend's mean joke but was silenced by a hiss from Pinepaw, "You weren't any faster slow-poke!"

Now Pinepaw turned his attention back to Lightningpaw.

"I think the reason Sparky here ran was because he simply doesn't know how to fight," the dark gray tabby sneered, "I wonder what Hollowclaw thinks of his kittypet son."

"I-I'll be a g-great fighter someday, Pinepaw," Lightningpaw promised through ragged breaths.

"You're determination is admirable," here Pinepaw leaned his muzzle in really close to Lightningpaw's ear, "but we both know you'll always just be a soft, pathetic, coward."

There was a sudden blur of black and gray. Mallowpaw was standing protectively over Lightningpaw as if her pelt would shield him from all of the verbal attacks. Pinepaw, Rowanpaw close behind him, stood staring at her with blank emotionless eyes.

"Leave him alone," Mallowpaw growled at them. Lightningpaw felt a bit of embarrassment that a she-cat had to fight his battles, but he was still very grateful that she was there defending him.

"We were just letting him know that since he and Rowanpaw finished last, _he_ has to clean the elder's den later," Pinepaw queried coolly.

"_Rowanpaw_ has to as well," Mallowpaw shot back, her voice cold in warning.

"Oh he will," Pinepaw answered for the golden tabby, "I just wanted to let Sparky know personally."

"Stop calling him that!" Mallowpaw snarled, helping Lightningpaw to his feet, "Come on Lightningpaw, let's go hunting. You don't need to sit here and be insulted by these two."

Lightningpaw forced his paws to move even though he was tired. He really didn't want to hunt now after his rather humiliating defeat, but he sensed that Mallowpaw just wanted him to get away from Pinepaw and Rowanpaw. He never bothered looking back at them; he could feel their scorn-filled eyes boring into him anyways. Mallowpaw offered him her shoulder to lean on and he graciously accepted.

They were only a few mouse-lengths away from the edge of the clearing when Larkshine stopped them. Her eyes read more confusion than anything else and Lightningpaw hoped she wasn't angry with him.

"Where are you going?" she asked them seriously, though there was a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Will you walk with us a bit Larkshine? There's something Lightningpaw and I need to tell you," Mallowpaw told the blue-gray and white she-cat.

Larkshine nodded slowly and then followed them out of the clearing and into the dense forest. Hollowclaw was too busy berating the other apprentices to notice, or really care about, the three cats exiting. Once they were far enough away from the clearing, Larkshine stopped them and sat down. She eyed Lightningpaw critically.

"What's going on you two?" the blue-gray splotched she-cat inquired.

Lightningpaw shrunk away from the intense stare of his mentor, lowering his head to the ground. If he told on Pinepaw and Rowanpaw, chances were the bullying would get worse. Not to mention the fact that, even though the two other apprentices could be mean Lightningpaw still respected them and their skill. Pinepaw and Rowanpaw were his clan mates; no matter how much they pushed his buttons he would still be loyal to them. Lightningpaw opened his mouth to reply to his mentor but Mallowpaw answered before him.

"Pinepaw and Rowanpaw have been bullying Lightningpaw, especially during battle practice," the black and white she-cat meowed matter-of-factly.

Larkshine's green eyes stretched wide with surprise, "I was kind of wondering what all of Rowanpaw's yowling was during training."

Larkshine turned her sharp gaze on Lightningpaw. He hung his head, wondering nervously what she was going to say.

"Why didn't you tell me this Lightningpaw?" was her only question.

Larkshine waited a moment as Lightningpaw mulled through his brain for an acceptable response. Whatever he came up with would have sounded weak and dismal to the looming patch-coated she-cat; that much he was fairly certain of. Then the voice of his mentor suddenly cut into his rampant thoughts.

"Never mind Lightningpaw, you don't have to answer that. I know why," she remarked, her voice growing a bit distant, "My brother, Jayflight, was a lot like you when we were apprentices. Other apprentices made fun of him because he wasn't a very strong fighter. Today, you would never guess that those cats would ever stoop that low because they all matured into respected warriors. Jayflight let it go on because the cats bullying him were his clan mates, and he knew that eventually it would stop. When you're an apprentice, it seems like being the coolest is the most important thing, but it's not. Jayflight, and all the cats that made fun of him, are now honorable TallClan warriors. It doesn't make what Pinepaw and Rowanpaw are doing right, it's very cruel actually. I will make sure to keep a close eye on them during training sessions and I'll alert Graystar and Ashwhisker. I don't want whatever they're saying to you, to slow down your training. I think you are doing very well and I want you to continue working hard. I'm very proud of you Lightningpaw."

Lightningpaw felt his heart swell. He couldn't remember a time when his parents had ever made him feel so uplifted. He had to admit, he sometimes felt he was closer to his mentor than to his mother and father. Hollowclaw was stern and unyielding, and his mother just wasn't really around. To know Larkshine supported him and was proud of him was the best feeling in the world.

"Can Lightningpaw and I go hunting towards the Gathering place Larkshine?" Mallowpaw asked.

Larkshine nodded her approval, "Yes, just be careful. You know what to do if you smell or hear something out of the ordinary. Use this as an opportunity to train more Lightningpaw. Once you're done, bring what you catch to the elders and change their moss. I'll see to it that Rowanpaw checks them all for ticks. StarClan grant you both good hunting."

Larkshine turned away and padded off towards camp. Lightningpaw caught Mallowpaw's glittering gaze as the black and white she-cat flicked her ear for him to follow.

He sauntered over to her side and they headed towards the scent of the cooler north wind. Their walk was quiet and peaceful, but also tense. Something still weighed on Lightningpaw's mind.

Finally Mallowpaw spoke, "Something else is wrong. What is it Lightningpaw?"

Lightningpaw stopped in his tracks and sat down.

"Larkshine said she was proud of me, but my fighting skills are complete fox-dung," he cursed, "I get sick when I'm high up in a tree, I never know what move I should use next, I'm slow and my moves are all sloppily executed. Pinepaw and Rowanpaw are correct when they say I don't know how to fight; I don't."

Mallowpaw crept over to his side and placed her tail on his shoulder sympathetically.

"I'm going to tell you a couple of well-known secrets about those two," she divulged, "Stripepaw once told me that Pinepaw struggles a lot with insecurities. Their dad was killed by a badger when they were both new apprentices. Pinepaw thought that if he would have trained harder he could have been there and saved his father. He trained himself for battle harder than you could ever imagine, so hard he sometimes wouldn't stop until he collapsed. He used to be warm and friendly and noble…but he became cold and obsessed, putting down other cats because it made him feel stronger. He used to pick on Rowanpaw actually. Rowanpaw was pretty hurt by it, especially since he admired Pinepaw's skill. Instead of standing up for himself, Rowanpaw started joining in with Pinepaw's jibes. I'm not supporting their actions, but I thought you should know there's at least a reason behind it. You'll be a great fighter someday Lightningpaw, you just need more practice."

Lightningpaw turned to look at the she-cat sitting beside him. Her eyes were searching his consumed almost completely by some unreadable sentiment. Her black and white fur felt soft and warm pressed against his shoulder. She radiated a multitude of emotions and Lightningpaw wondered how he had never noticed this curiosity about her before. Just watching her sit there, doing nothing at all, he felt cold fire coursing through his veins. She didn't have to move and her spirit animated her of its own accord. Every time Lightningpaw saw her, his heart fluttered, but it was nothing like this. _She's so beautiful_, he thought. But all of a sudden he was distracted by the faint sound of her voice.

"Lightningpaw?" Mallowpaw breathed softly, "Being a good fighter doesn't make you strong, using your talents and loyalty to help better your clan is what makes you a warrior."

Lightningpaw felt his eyes widen, "You're right Mallowpaw. Thanks!"

He started off again, this time with more vigor. However, it didn't take him long to realize that Mallowpaw wasn't following him. He turned back to find her still sitting there, looking down at her paws.

"Sure, anytime Lightningpaw," she sighed, responding to the last thing he had said.

Lightningpaw bounced back over to her. Time slowed down as he leaned forward and pressed his nose to hers. She flinched in surprise at first, but quickly changed her expression to a smile as she accepted the affectionate gesture.

He gave her forehead an abrupt lick, "Come on! Maybe you can help me with my hunting skills. If I can't fight, there's gotta be something else that I can do to contribute to my clan."

She grinned widely and took off. He shot after her, his legs eventually matching hers as two sets of paws thrummed against the ground.

It didn't take long for them to reach the riverside. Just across the rushing gap of water, Lightningpaw could make out the shape of the Gathering clearing if he squinted. He had become an apprentice the night after a Gathering. It was rather convenient timing because he had gotten in a lot of training by the time the next full moon had approached, and Graystar had let him come with. His mind wandered back to that day.

"_The cats going to the Gathering will be: Gingerdawn, Cedarfall, Owlshadow, Flintfoot, Maplecloud, Jayflight, Larkshine, Pinepaw, Stripepaw, Mallowpaw, and Lightningpaw. Any elders are welcome to join us as well," Graystar announced to his clan._

_Lightningpaw couldn't help the excitement that surged through him. It was all for the better that Stripepaw and Mallowpaw were coming too. They could show him around, introduce him to some cats, and teach him the rules about Gatherings (even though Larkshine had already lectured him about it). Speaking of his two best friends, they were trotting up to him now, their delighted expressions mirroring his own. He bounced over to meet them halfway. Stripepaw gave him a friendly nudge on the shoulder._

"_Ready for your first Gathering pal?" the gray tabby inquired._

"_Sure am!" Lightningpaw smiled back._

_All three of them giggled and shared stories of today's exploits until Graystar rounded up everyone to leave for the Gathering._

_At the beginning of his training, Lightningpaw had been shown all of TallClan's territory, so he knew how to get to the Gathering place. However, Larkshine had never actually taken him all the way there before since it was across the river. Now he was finally going to get to see what it was like._

_The group of TallClan cats traveled at a medium-paced walk. There was a sense of clan pride mingled with the excitement of hearing from the other clans, hanging in the air. Just walking alongside his clan made Lightningpaw feel moons older. It was as though he had always been a warrior, traveling with all of the most respected cats of TallClan. He didn't want it to end._

_Unfortunately for him, it did end: once they reached Tall Bridge, every cat separated. Lightningpaw gawked at the huge expanse of water flowing down between the river's bank sides. Lying across the gap were many huge redwood trees, blackened and cracked from the storms, lightning, and fire that had once engulfed them._

_Lightningpaw climbed cautiously over towering roots until he was standing on the first log. The bark that met the bottom of his feet was a strange combination of crunchy and slick. For some reason he felt strangely at ease, and he made his way rather rapidly across the organic bridge. As soon as he came to the other side he was met with the cacophony of many cats chatting in the clearing ahead._

_Stripepaw leapt from the tree bridge to Lightningpaw's side, trailed closely by Mallowpaw. They both flicked their tails to beckon for Lightningpaw to follow them. All three apprentices burst into the Gathering clearing behind Graystar and Ashwhisker._

_Lightningpaw's eyes felt as though they were as big as the full moon above. The clearing was rather spacious, with short, marshy grasses that tickled his paws. There were tons of cats, all of their pelts turned silver under the bright rays of the moon and stars. Towards the opposite side of the clearing stood a huge redwood tree, bigger than any on TallClan territory. Its roots lunged riotously out of the confines of the earth, creating broad wooden thrones. It looked absolutely regal, and Lightningpaw didn't have to guess to know for certain that that was where the leaders sat._

_Something brushed Lightningpaw's shoulder. Stripepaw and Mallowpaw stood beside him, staring expectantly._

"_This is so cool," Lightningpaw breathed._

"_I know!" Stripepaw enthused, "Come and meet our friend Cherrypaw!"_

_Lightningpaw didn't have any time to stop and question who this "Cherrypaw" was. If he would have attempted to, he would never have been able to find his friends again. Thus, he decided to follow them blindly, weaving through the cool grass and in between groups of cats talking to one another._

_The two other apprentices stopped in front of him and Lightningpaw almost ran right into Stripepaw's hind-quarters. As he came to an abrupt halt, Lightningpaw peered over his friend's shoulder._

"_Hey Cherrypaw! We brought a new friend!" Stripepaw called out._

_A small tortoiseshell she-cat suddenly turned her head and came trotting over. All four of the apprentices sat down._

"_Cherrypaw, this is Lightningpaw. Lightningpaw, meet Cherrypaw. She's WildClan's medicine cat apprentice," Stripepaw introduced._

"_Hi!" Lightningpaw greeted the splotched she-cat._

_She flashed him a friendly smile in return before addressing all of them, "I only have time to chat for a little bit before Fennelgaze comes and gets me. She wants to show me some herbs near here before the Gathering starts. Probably another quiz on if I can identify what a burdock plant looks like."_

_Lightningpaw was surprised that Stripepaw didn't laugh. Normally the silver tabby had a silly comeback for everything._

_Instead the tabby tom replied with, "Aw, okay. Hurry! Let's quick think of something to talk about. Um…what news do I have? Oh yeah! Pinepaw beat me in battle practice again."_

"_Again?" Cherrypaw looked at him quizzically, "Have you ever actually won against him?"_

"_Nope!" Stripepaw replied oddly cheerful._

_Cherrypaw let out a slightly awkward and confused giggle._

"_Cherrypaw! Cherrypaw, where are you?" the four apprentices froze at the terrified voice._

_Cherrypaw looked around, "I'm over here Fennelgaze."_

_A light brown tabby she-cat wove quickly through the crowd towards them, her green eyes frantic. She breathed a sigh of relief when she caught up to them._

"_Cherrypaw, there you are. I thought I asked if you would stay by me this time. Come on, I wanted to show you some herbs around here remember? Uh, w-who are your friends?" the she-cat, apparently Fennelgaze, inquired nervously._

"_This is Mallowpaw, Stripepaw, and Lightningpaw. They're from TallClan," the little tortoiseshell responded, pointing at each of her acquaintances with her tail when she mentioned their name._

_Fennelgaze scanned each of them over carefully, her eyes eventually coming to a stop on Lightningpaw. He awkwardly kept her gaze, feeling as though it was respectful. Her green eyes flickered with something strange and Lightningpaw realized he could actually see a reflection of the sky in her dilated pupils. In that reflected image he noticed that the sky behind him was churning with dark rain clouds, lightning ripping through the soft tufts like claws through fur. He turned to look with surprise, but the night air was crisp and clear with no sign of a storm at all._

_Lightningpaw glanced back at the medicine cat in confusion. She was still staring at him, her mouth hanging slightly open._

_Cherrypaw head-butted her mentor, "Come on Fennelgaze. You wanted me to hurry and come with you, but now you're just sitting there, staring at my friends."_

_Fennelgaze shook her muzzle and smiled at the three TallClan apprentices before letting Cherrypaw lead her away. Lightningpaw felt a little scared. Why had Fennelgaze looked at him like that, and why had he seen the reflection of a storm in her eyes when the skies were clear? He turned to Stripepaw but the silver tabby just gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. Lightningpaw scooted closer to his two friends and they all waited for the Gathering to start._

_However, the whole time they were there, Lightningpaw couldn't shake the feeling of the WildClan medicine cat's intense gaze on him._

**Interesting, I wonder why Fennelgaze was checking him out. So I had planned to give more detail about Lightningpaw's family in this chapter so I'm sorry I never got to it. I couldn't figure out the last couple of paragraphs for the life of me but they'll have to suffice. Another note: Pinepaw and Rowanpaw are not actually the main antagonists in Lightningpaw's life, though there is some conflict. Reviews would be great! I know I update rather sporadically but I'm juggling school and a job and life in general. I plan on hopefully finishing this story and I work incredibly hard on it. Either way, until next chapter, Panthera Uncia.**


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